


Confessions By Starlight

by karasunova



Series: Adventures in House-Sitting [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Love Confessions, Not Epilogue Compliant, Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:21:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21895051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karasunova/pseuds/karasunova
Summary: George agrees to watch Shell Cottage while Bill and Fleur head to France for Christmas. However, neither informed him he wasn't going to be alone - he's going to have company, in the shape of the very person who's been ignoring him for weeks.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/George Weasley
Series: Adventures in House-Sitting [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1547695
Comments: 6
Kudos: 71





	Confessions By Starlight

**Author's Note:**

> The conclusion to Adventures in House Sitting and just in time for Christmas. I hope you enjoy it.

“No house parties.”

George rolled his eyes. 

Bill walked around the kitchen counter. “We left some food so you’re welcome to eat whatever.” He tapped the piece of parchment on the counter with his finger. “Here are the instructions on how and when to cast the charms.”

“Alright, Bill.”

Bill crossed his arms over his chest and cast his eyes upwards, listening for Fleur moving about the floor above them. “Do you want to talk about it?”

George shrugged. “Talk about what?”

“You and Hermione.”

George moved to the quaint living room and dropped down on the plush sofa. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

Bill followed him and leaned against the mantle of the fireplace. “She didn’t reject you.”

George hid his face in his hands. “Can we not talk about this, please?” He should never have told his big brother about the kiss he shared with Hermione. 

He had second-guessed himself, which was pointless now because he hadn’t seen Hermione since that night. But he wasn’t afraid to admit that their kiss, while rather short, was the sweetest he’d ever experienced. Hermione had felt so slight against him, warm, and he just wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let go. What scared him the most was he had no idea where these feelings came from or maybe it was the inkling feeling that he didn't want them to go away. 

Fleur slowly came down the stairs, floating a large suitcase in front of her and dumping it by the fireplace. 

Bill stepped to the sofa and gripped George’s shoulder. “As I said, no house parties, but you can invite a few friends if you’d like.”

George slowly came to his feet and watched as Bill and Fleur bustled out of Shell Cottage. Fleur placed a chaste kiss on his cheek before stepping into the fireplace. 

Bill gave him a pointed look. “There’s nothing to lose, brother.” He stepped into the fireplace and grabbed some floo powder. “Happy Christmas.”

* * *

George shuffled sausage and egg into his mouth and watched as Ron, completely red in the face, introduce his girlfriend to their parents. He was going to continue watching the show but he felt someone take the seat beside him. 

He turned and quirked an eyebrow at Harry.

He laughed lightly. “It’s funny watching Ron get all embarrassed.”

George nodded. “It’s humbling for little Ronniekins.” 

Harry stifled a laugh. But the humor in his eyes soon turned serious. “I think he’s really serious about her.”

George forced his attention away from his food and watched Ron and his girlfriend. He was red in the face, but he didn’t run away from their mother’s overwhelming presence or push said girlfriend away from the attention. 

“Hermione isn’t coming over for Christmas,” Harry said. 

George’s fork clattered against his plate. “She’s not?” 

Harry shook his head. “She didn’t want to make things awkward for Ron and didn’t want his girlfriend to feel uncomfortable.” 

“Is that why?”

“Well, yeah. What other reason could it be?”

* * *

“What are you doing here?”

“What are _you_ doing here?”

Hermione unraveled her scarf from her neck and laid it over the back of the sofa, along with her plum-colored peacoat. She sighed deeply, crossing her arms over her chest. “Fleur asked me to come over and technically house-sit. To recast the magical-pest and muggle repellant enchantments.” 

George shifted beside the kitchen table. “Bill asked me to do the same.” 

She set her hands on her hips. “Well, I don’t need to be here then if Bill asked you to do it.” 

He scrambled around the table and further into the cozy kitchen. “You don’t have to go. Have you eaten? I can whip something up. Well, reheat something really. Are you thirsty?”

He kept his eyes on her denim-clad legs, hoping she wouldn’t turn on her heel and leave. 

“I’m in the mood for something hot,” her voice cut through the silence.

He stumbled over his feet. “What?”

Hermione shrugged. “Like hot chocolate.”

He cleared his throat. “Right. I can do that. With milk?”

“Yes, please.” She sat down at the kitchen table and watched as he went about preparing their hot chocolate.

“I suppose I owe you an apology,” she said softly. 

He stirred the milk warming over the cooktop. “You don’t owe me anything.”

“I’ve ignored you for weeks. I didn’t write back to the letters you sent me.”

He mixed in the cocoa powder and continued stirring. “I get it, Hermione.”

“I got scared.”

He felt her eyes on him as he forced himself to continue stirring. She got scared? Merlin, she wasn’t the only one. He was sure he had gone and cocked it up with one of his oldest friends because he did something before thinking it through. 

“I noticed there’s an outdoor cooking fire. Maybe we can go sit out there and look at the stars?”

He grabbed two mugs and set them on the counter. “It’s cold.”

“I know, but it might not be so bad with hot chocolate, fire, and some company.”

* * *

“Yes, a brilliant idea.” George plopped down on the blanket Hermione had spread across the sand, his teeth chattering harshly. 

Hermione was already sitting and stoking the fire. “Don’t whine. You’ll feel fine in a moment.”

Once she was done, he handed her mug of hot chocolate over. And for a while, they simply drank their hot chocolate in silence. The fire crackling before them. The waves softly rolling onto shore. 

“This is nice,” Hermione finally said. 

“Yeah, Bill and Fleur are living the good life and that little one of theirs is going to be so lucky.”

She bumped her knee into his leg. “Well, you were pretty lucky too. Growing up at the Burrow. All that space. All those adventures.”

“That’s true,” he laughed, “perhaps too much space. Enough room to cause havoc and chaos. My poor mother.”

She chuckled and he felt himself smile. 

“What about you?”

She swallowed a mouthful of hot chocolate. “What about me?”

“Did you cause much trouble as a child?”

She stared at the fire. “I don’t think so. I spent a lot of time being well-behaved, not really asserting myself or changing the status quo. A habit I think I’ve fallen back into.”

George gasped. “You, not asserting yourself or challenging the status quo? Is this Hermione Granger I’m sitting next too?”

She rolled her eyes, but a small smile came to her face. She took a deep breath. “At least not in the ways that I truly want to.”

“What do you mean?”

Hermione turned to face him, the firelight played across her features, making her brown eyes smolder. He gulped and tried not to choke because he was sure he forgot how to breathe for a few moments. 

“I like you,” she blurted. 

His jaw slackened. “Me? What?”

“I like you. Like, like you. But I was too scared and worried to do anything or to tell you.”

He took her mug and set their drinks aside. “Why?”

“Why change what we have already? You’re such a good friend and I didn’t want to ruin it by wanting it to change.”

“It doesn’t have to change.”

She dropped her gaze to the space between them. 

“I can still be a good friend,” he said softly, “and we can snog by the fire, maybe I can take you out to dinner?”

He grinned, watching her perk up and blush. “We’ll take it slow and maybe when the time is right, I’ll introduce you to my parents. They mean well, I promise.”

“George?”

He moved closer, taking her hand and resting it against his chest. He wasn’t sure if she could feel his rapidly beating heart under all the layers he was wearing. “What do you say, Hermione?”

She slowly moved to her knees, laid her free hand against his cheek, and leaned forward. 

Cold noses bumped together. 

Followed by a firm, warm, and chocolatey kiss. 


End file.
